I’ve decided to do something for April, 2013. I am 33 years old this year. I am a singer/songwriter. And I finally feel like I know my purpose in life.
During most of my childhood I was sexually abused by my biological father. I grew up feeling like I was completely alone, that I couldn’t tell anyone, that there was something wrong with me, and no one else would understand what I was going through. For years I thought about committing suicide every day.
Luckily I am past all of that now, but many other children and survivors of sexual abuse are still struggling. A lot of us didn’t make it. As long as this epidemic exists, I know what I’m going to be doing. I’m going to be telling people – about my own experiences and the experiences of 1 out of 5 children in America who are abused.
This is why:
It is my dream that one day sexual abuse survivors will get as much support as cancer survivors. Surviving sexual abuse is no more shameful than surviving cancer. I want there to be 5ks. I want there to be t-shirts and bumper stickers. I want there to be posters and bake sales and parades in support of sexual abuse survivors.
This is why:
For a problem like cancer, awareness can be helpful in raising money for research, but it doesn’t directly combat the problem. Knowing about cancer doesn’t actually stop it. However, for the problem of sexual abuse, awareness DIRECTLY combats the problem.
This is why:
1. Perpetrators of sexual abuse rely on secrecy. They use intimidation and shame to keep their victims silent. Without that secrecy, if the victims felt like they could speak up, people would be much less likely to abuse.
2. Survivors feel totally alone. By talking about sexual abuse, survivors can feel like they have a community to support them – people who have dealt with similar problems and can understand them. They will be much less likely to destroy their lives through suicide, drug abuse, prostitution, cutting, and other destructive behaviors.
3. When the community knows about sexual abuse and the effects on victims, they will be less likely to look in the other direction when they suspect a child is being abused. A lot of people who grew up in healthy homes don’t even realize how rampant this problem is. Will you help?
So, this is why:
As a singer/songwriter, I’m making it my mission to fight against child sexual abuse. I will be the poster girl – I’m fine with that. I want to draw survivors and the people who support them together as an army.
For the month of April, I’m going to tell someone every day that I’m a survivor of child sexual abuse. This is the beginning – for me and for everyone who joins me.
If you’ve read this far, you’ve made a choice not to turn away. You’ve made a choice to bear witness to my story and to the stories of millions of others. Just by doing that, you are making a difference.
Thank you.